[MARINE_BIOLOGY_INTERNATIONAL] Red tide affects Sarasota and Charlotte beaches

Red tide affects Sarasota and Charlotte beaches

Red tide has been detected at Stump Pass in Englewood. The algae bloom has caused a fish kill on the beach, noticeable on Wednesday.

By Kate Spinner
Herald Tribune

Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 5:27 p.m.

A large red tide bloom, about 12 miles long and six miles wide, is lingering off the Charlotte-Sarasota County coastline and killing fish.

Mote Marine Laboratory publishes a twice-daily beach report that details whether dead fish are on the beach and whether lifeguards or other sentinels are feeling respiratory irritation from red tide.

Statwide red tide sampling results are published online every Friday by the FWRI.

As dead fish began washing ashore on beaches in Englewood this week, hotel owners and tourism officials were hopeful that the problem would not worsen or spread. But more dead fish are likely to land on the region's southern beaches in the coming days, as the bloom creeps north about six to nine miles offshore and winds shift, scientists predicted.

"So far we've been very lucky," said Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota County, noting that "this is generally the time of year when we're going to have problems."

September and October are the most common months for red tide blooms, caused by toxic algae. Almost exactly a year ago a similar red tide bloom sporadically washed dead fish ashore from Venice to Naples for several weeks. A major bloom with widespread, lingering fish kills has not occurred in Southwest Florida since early 2007. Most years bring red tide blooms and fish kills to some part of the region.

Red tide naturally occurs in the Gulf of Mexico. Occasionally conditions allow the algae to accumulate in large numbers, creating a bloom that is deadly for fish, marine mammals, sea turtles and other sea life.

The bloom's toxins also can become airborne, causing significant breathing problems for people with asthma or other respiratory diseases. The toxins also cause healthy people to cough or sniffle.

As of midweek, the red tide effects were limited to southern Sarasota and Charlotte counties. No dead fish or bad air quality were reported on beaches north of Venice.

"There has been no indication of red tide yet, so we have not disturbed our guests and residents about it," said Edward Braunlich, general manager of Hyatt Siesta Key Beach. If the bloom reaches Siesta Key shores this week, Braunlich said precautionary literature will be given to each hotel guest.

Scientists at Mote Marine Laboratory, the University of South Florida and the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are monitoring the bloom to track its dimensions and location.

Underwater robots that test for the algae will be deployed in a joint experiment between Mote and USF next week, said Jason Lenes, research associate for the Center for Prediction of Red Tides at USF.

He said a cold front sweeping through the region pushed the bloom toward the coast and will shift winds northward after it passes. The change is likely to cause more fish to land on beaches.

"Right now that main patch, the chunk of it, is heading straight north, slightly toward the coast," Lenes said, referring to the red tide outlook for the next three days.

Scientists cannot predict whether the bloom will grow or where it will move beyond about three days, Lenes said.

Sarasota County crews are cleaning up dead fish along Blind Pass and Manasota Key in Englewood, said Curt Preisser, a county spokesman.

In the meantime Mote Marine scientists are "watching beach conditions like hawks," said Barbara Kirkpatrick, senior scientist with the research laboratory in Sarasota.

Scientists will continue to take water samples along the coast this week, concentrating additional effort on Charlotte Harbor.